Track-sander.



J. H. WTTBRS.

TRACK SANDER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN, 13, 1910.

957,01 9. f Patented May 3, 1910, l

A As ATTORNEYS JOHN HENRY WA'ITERS, 0F AUGUSTA, GEORGIA.

TRACK-SANDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 3, 1910.

Application filed January 13, 1910. Serial No. 537,808.

To all whom it mayzconcem:

Be it known that I, JOHN HENRY WAT- TnRs, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Augusta, in the county of Richmond and State of Georgia, have invented a certain new and useful Track-Sander, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Thisl invention relates to track Sanders for luse with locomotives or for other like pura Simple, economic'and efficient track sander,

by means of which sand can' be discharged smoothly and continuously from the sand box by means of a jet of fluid directed through a nozzle, in which sand is prevented from entering the nozzle to clog the same, in which. a bridge or shelf is provided to assist in the discharge of the sand frdm the sand boX, Which is so constructed that it can be expeditiously assembled and taken apart so that the device can 'be Ieasily cleaned, and in Which is included a device or purifying. the Huid, such as air, which effects the discharge .of the sand.

The invention consists in the novel'conf struction and combination ofparts to "be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set `forth in the claims. y

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this. speci- .cation, Ain which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts 1n all the views, and in Which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of an embodimentsjo my invention, showing the same applied to a sand box; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the sander' showing certain' of the partsv inv plan; and .Fig. 3 .is a perspective view of the nozzle member for directing the jets.

Before proceeding to a more detailed explanation of niy'invention, it should be understood that the present form of the device of the jets, .and in the distributing an ainst the end of the casing. The

-stitut-ing the n ozzle and having constitutes an improvement. .upon .the track,

Sanders shown respectively, in my United States Patents No. 785,284, dated March 2l, i905, and No. 803,258, dated October 3l,

Certain of the details of constructiomwhich form no part of the present invention, and which can be varied in accordance with individual preference or s ecial conditions, are disclosedin the earlier orms of the track sander, and the present invention resides largely in the valve member ,controllntg me 1scharge-assisting bridge or shelf. While I prefer to employ air under pressure for operating the track sander, any other fluid adapted for the purpose, can be used.

Referring more particularly to the drawi ings, I have shown a sand box 10, of any preferred or comm-on construction, having therein the -body of sand 11, used to increase the tractive effect of the locomotive Wheels `on the track rails, or for other pur oses. The sander casing 12 is substantial y of Y-form, and has a threaded end 13, arranged in an opening of the san-d box, and secured in Aplace 'by a locking ring or collar 14, at the inside of the b o At the opposite end the casinghas removably mounted therein a nozzle plug 15, of circular form, and provided With a A lateral ange 32, seating a nozzle p ug l5 is held in position by means of a set screw 16. The sand discharge pipe 17 is associated with the casing 12 at a suit-ably threaded opening thereo under the plug 15. The latter has .an-extension 18' projecting into the casing toward the sand box, and of reduced diameter, `the extension cona passage 19 therethnough. Near the 3free end the nozzle has a reduced passage or opening 20,

formed in a. partition, and adjacent theretov a laterally-dis .osed inclined out-let .or jet `opening 21, a ined substantially with .the

dlscharge pipe 17, as is clearly shown in Firg". 1.

, he nozzle at the free 'end forms -a recessed valve seat 22, the inner end of which is roundedl and which movably receives the preferably spherical valvemember 24, movably held in place by a-transverse pm 25, constituting a sto to limit the movement of the valve meiner.

The nozzle plug 15 has a recess 26 formed therein, which communicates with the passage 19, and is partly threaded to receive an annular threaded fitting 27, which constitutes a socket to receive the threaded end of the pressure sup ly pipe 28, the air or other uid enters the nozzle. The inner end of the recess 26 forms a pocket in which is positioned a strainer 29, consisting of metal gauze, or any other suitable material, for purifying the fluid and freeing it from foreign substances. y

Within the casing and preferably formed integral therewith, is a bridge or shelf 3 0, extending inwardly from the threaded end 13 ot' the casing under the nozzle member, so that it forms a substantially horizontal shelf to receive the sandas is indicated in Fig. 1. The bridgeis preferably of tapered cross sectional form, and at the edge presents a 'lip 31, over which the sand passes to the discharge pipe '17. The; fluid escaping through the opening 20 in theend of the' nozzle, agitates the sand, andjloosens Vit,'the

ball 22 regulating the jet for this purpose. It will be understood that the ball prevents the entrance of sand through the jet' opening 20, and thus hinders the accidental clogging of the nozzle. The jet formed by the open ing 21 creates a vacuum, under the influence of which 4the sand is drawn over the bridge and out through the discharge pipe 17. The

bridge also prevents the escape of sand vinto the discharge pipe when the device is not in use7 and no air is escapin -rom the jet opening 21. While the ilui jet impinging against the body of sand, and controlled by the valve member 24;,'is of assistance in the operation of the device, if thevalve member should become inoperative thesand would still be discharged bythe jet for-med at the nozzleopening 21. Should the opening 21 become accidentally clogged, the movement of the valve member 24, which is very nearly in contact with the body of sand, would be suiicient'to cause the sand to pass into the discharge pipe and thus escape. ...The contracted opening 20 of the nozzle member assists in reducing the Huid pressure, by permitting the expansion thereof, and the destructive sand blast is avoided thereby.

.Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent: 4

1. a track sander, a sand box, a casing l' opening thereinto, and anair conveyerI leading into said sand box and ada `ted to direct.

a stream ofair against the bo y of'sand in said box, said air conveyer having a passage of reduced diameter-in advance of its discharge and having a movable valve 'member' controlling said passage.

2..In a track sander, a sand box, a discharge pipe communicating with said lsand box, and means for directing a jet of liuid into the body of sand in a" direction oppothrough which box, the

sage an openin site to that in which the sand iows tothe discharge pipe, said means having a movable, controlling valve member.

3. In a track sander, a sandbox, a discharge pipe communicating with said .sand box, and a nozzle for directin a jet of fluid into the bpdy of sand in sai boxin a direction aW'ay from said discharge pipe, and opposed to the general direction of flow l o the sand in dischargin said nozzle having a movable valve mein er controlling they jet.

4. Ina track sander, a sandbox, a discharge pipe, and a nozzle member having openings for directing two jets of fluid one against the body of sand in said sand box and the other toward said ipe to create a partial vacuum to cause a ow of sand into said pipe, said nozzle member having .a valve memberl controlling one of said openings, said valve member being capable of limited movement.

5. In a-track sander, a sand box having a discharge pipe, means for creating a partial vacuum within said pipe, and a nozzle having a loose-valve member and serving to direct a jet of fluid against the bod of sand at a point adjacent to the moutlir of said pipe.

6. In a track sander, a sand box having a discharge pipe, a nozzle disposed adjacent to the mouth of said pipe and rovided with openings for directing jets o fluid in dif ferent directions, said nozzle having a movable valve member controlling one of said 4openings, and a bridge under said nozzle,

serving to direct sand to said discharge pipe. 7. In a tracksander, a sand box, av casing communicating therewith, a nozzle member extending intosaid casing, and a discharge Vdpe communicating with said casing, said nozzle member havin two openings, one for directing a iiuid jet toward said sand other. for directing a Huid jet tof ward said dischargepipe, said nozzle mem-l ber having at one o said o enings avalveseat and movably associate with said seat a valve member having a limited movement.

8. In a track sander, a casing adapted to communicate with a sand vbox, a nozzle member extending into said casing, a discharge pipe communicating with lsaid casing, said vnozzle member having a passage therethrough and near the end of said asof reduced cross section, 12C said nozzle mem er at the side of said .openingvremote from said passage forminga recessed valve seat, a valve member movably positioned at sai'd seat, and a stop .for 1 limitin the movement of said `valve mem- 12E ber, said 'nozzle member at the side of said openingv remote 'from said valve member having a laterally disposed opening communicating 'with said passage, said .openings serving to form fiuid jets.

horizontal upper 9. In a track sander, a casing adapted to communicate with a sand box, a nozzle member extending 'into said caslng lserving to form fluid jets, and a discharge pipe communicating with said casing, said casing having an inward extension forming a. bridge or shelf presenting a substantially surface, and a transverse lip at the free edge, above the entrance to said discharge pipe. p

10. In a track sander, a casing ada ted to communicate with a sand box, a nozz e plug removably mounted at said easing and having a nozzle member extending into the same, a discharge pipe communicatingA with sald casing, said nozzle member having a `passage therethrough and near the end of said passage an opening of reducedv cross section, said nozzle member at the side of.

said opening lremote i from said passage formlng' a valve seat, a valve member move ably` positioned at said seat, and a "stop for limiting the movementof said valve member, said nozzle member at the side of said opening remote from 'saidvalve .having a laterally disposed opening communicatmg with said passage, said opening serving to form fluid jets, a supply pipe associated with said plug and communicating withv said passage, and a strainer between said supply pipe and said passage, said casing havingv an inward extension forming a bridge presenting a transverse -lip under said nozzle.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specificationin the lpresence of two subscribing witnesses; v JOI-IN HENRY WATTERS. Witnessesz JNO. -Sl' Coox, E. J Cosenovn. 

